And then there were two. Leicester Riders and Sheffield Sharks are the last teams standing as they conclude the 2015-16 season in playing for the Molten BBL Play-Off title at The O2, on Sunday.
Leicester are a game away from emulating their historic treble success in the 2012-13 season and face a familiar foe in the form of Sheffield.
Rob Paternostro’s side won the BBL Trophy in February before wrapping up the league title on the final weekend of the regular season. And, Riders forward Shane Walker believes his team are on the brink of history.
“We’ve done great things this year, but winning on Sunday would cement our legacy in history,” he declared.
“It would mean the world and is one of those things you tell your grandchildren about.
“It’s an awesome feeling to be one of four teams left playing in the UK, and to be playing at The O2 is the icing on the cake.
“It’s been a special season which I’ve enjoyed immensely.”
Leicester have gone from strength to strength as the season has progressed, and Walker wants his side to ensure a fitting finish to the campaign, whilst taking heed of his coach’s warning.
“Coach Rob did a great job in letting us know we haven’t done great things this season by being complacent and making sure we remain focused on the task at hand.
“We have a chance at a treble and that chance doesn’t come around often.
“When you have a chance to win a Championship, you have to take it. I hated the feeling of losing in the Cup Final.
“We will be ready to finish the season in the right way.”
The Riders have excelled defensively this season with records set and having had four players named in the Molten All-BBL Defensive Team of the Year with a further two players on the bench.
Their strong defence has paved the way for success, and Walker has targeted some key players on the opposition that they will look to contain on Sunday.
“When you look at the Sheffield team, you start with (Jerrold) Brooks and (Mike) Tuck – two proven players in the league,” he explained.
“We will do our best to limit them, and then (Antone) Robinson is next on the list so we also have to try to keep him quiet, especially in the rebounding aspect of the game.
“The games [against Sheffield] are always good ones so I’m sure the fans are in for a treat.”
While the Riders all but punched their ticket to The O2 following a 44-point win in the first leg of their Semi-Final, the Sharks were made to sweat a lot more to seal their place.
Atiba Lyons’ side eventually prevailed with a four-point win on aggregate against Glasgow Rocks, and American guard Kyle Odister believes the Sharks can now complete their ultimate season goal.
“It was the goal from the beginning of the season, so winning a Championship heading into the off-season would be considered a mission accomplished,” he revealed.
“It’s always a good feeling to know that the hard work throughout the year has paid off.
“This Sunday will be the finishing touch to truly showcase how much work we put in this year.”
Win, lose and draw. Every possible result has been played out by the two teams this season having met no less than six times in all competitions.
The Sharks handed the league champions their first regular season loss back in November, and know that a repeat success would end a 12-year wait to recapture the BBL Play-Offs title.
“Just the fact we have the opportunity to play for silverware is exciting,” said Odister.
“We have played Leicester a number of times and have given them one of their very few losses.
“We have had some close battles with them and we look forward to this weekend’s Championship game.”
Sheffield will be considered underdogs heading into the highly-anticipated showdown, although not as drastically as when they upset the odds by claiming the BBL Trophy crown in 2013.
And once again, the Sharks will be out to defy their doubters with a strong sense of belief that they can take down the Riders in another major BBL final.
“Despite our record, we feel that we are major threats in the BBL,” declared Odister.
“A major aspect we must do well to be successful this weekend is to keep Leicester out of transition and off the glass.
“It’s going to have to be a team win with contributions from everyone to defeat the balanced Riders.”
The Molten BBL Play-Off Final tips off at 3:30pm this Sunday at The O2 and is also available to watch LIVE on the BBC red button and via BBC Sport online.